Head for barrels, casks, &amp;c.



No, 635,583. Patented oct. 24, tsss. F. E; PELToN & .1. R. LovE.

HEAD FOB BARRELS, CASKS, 81.0.

(Application filed July 3, 1897.)

(No Model.)

UNITED STATES' PATENT Trigon.

FRANK E. PELTON, OF WILKINSBURG, .ANDl JAMES RENWICK LOVE, OF .ALLEGHENY, PENNSYLVANIA.

HEAD FOR BARRELS, oAsKs, etc.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 635,583, dated October 24, 1899.

Applicationiilel July 3, 1897. Serial No. 643,378. (No model.)

T @Zt whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, FRANK E. PELTON, residing'at Wilkinsburg, and JAMES REN- WICK LOVE, residing at Allegheny, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, citizens of the United States, have invented a newr and useful Improvement in Heads for Barrels, Oasks, dac.; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

Our invention relates to an improvement in heads for barrels, easks, dac.

The object of our invention is to provide a head for barrels, casks, kegs, pails, packages, and other like articles which can be easily inserted within and removed from the article without disturbing the hoops or other fastenings thereof. Y

A further object of our invention is to provide a head which will tighten itself in the article and take up any shrinkage of the parts composing the same; and a still further obwhich is capable of expansion, so as to insure a tight adjustment of the head in the article at all times.

Our invention consists, generally stated, .in the novel arrangement, combination, and construction of the various partsgof the device, as hereinafter more specifically set forth and described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

vTo enable others skilled in the art to which our invention appertains to construct and use the same, we will describe the same more fully, referring to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a top view of a keg or cask, showing our invention applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a like view showing the bung removed and the Wedges moved back into the bung-hole.

l1, 12, and 13 are perspective views of different forms or shapes of heads having our invention applied to the same for packages, &c.

Like letters hereinindicate like parts in each of the figures of the drawings.

As illustrated in the main figures, our inl vention is shown and described for two wedges which are applied to a keg-head A, although it can be applied to any other form of packing or storing vessel. The head A is divided into two sections c a, having their peripheries b beveled, as shown at b', so as to iit within the croze c of the keg c. The space d between the head-sections a a is so constructed as to leave reverse or double tapered'spaces d d between the edges or marginal surfaces cl2 d2, with the greatest width in the center of the head-sections a a and contracting uniformly toward opposite sides thereof. The marginal surfaces d2 d2 of the sections a a are provided with grooves d3 cl3, within which in the yspace d are adapted to fit, by means of their tongues e e', the wedgeplates e c, which are of similar shape and correspond to the double tapered spaces d' d in the head-sections a u. The inner edges c2 e2 of the wedge-plates c e and the marginal surfaces d2 cl2 on the head-sections a. a, at or about the center thereof, are formed on segments of circles f f2 in order to form a hole or opening f for the reception of a stopper or bung g, which is preferably wedge-shaped, as shown. A recess h is formed in each of the wedge-plates e e for the purpose of inserting and removing the wedge-plates e e when dev sired by means of the hands or any other suitable means, such as a hammer, &c.

The operation of our improved head for barrels, oasks, Lize., is as follows: In putting the head A in the keg c the head-sections a c are first engaged with croze4 c of the keg c by means of their peripheries b fitting therein, so as to form the spaces CZ d between them. The wedge-plates c e are theny inserted from the bung-hole j' into the spaces dd, with their tongues e' e' fitting within the grooves d3 d3 in the marginal surfaces d2 d2 of the head-sections ct ct, when the4 wedge-plates c e can be forced home by means of pressure applied to the recess h,so that their outer ends litwithin the croze c of the barrel c. When IOO zo fand driven home to place.

the wedge-plates c e are driven home, the bung-holefis formed by the segments j" on the wedge-plates e e and the segments f 2 on the marginal surfaces d2 d2 of the head-sections a a, into which hole f the bung g can then be driven to place by any suitable means. lVith the shrinkages of the parts the headsections a a are tightened in place by removing the bung g and applying pressure to the inner ends j' of the wedge-plates e e, after which the hole fcan be made larger and bung g can be driven back to place. In case it is desired to examine oruse the contents of the keg c or take out the same all that is necessary is to remove the bung g from the hole f, when the contents can be examined or emptied without disturbing the other parts of the head A. After all or a sufficient quantity is removed the bling g can be placed in the hole Vhen it is desired to remove the head-sections a a or the wedge-plates e e from any cause, the bung g Y croze c in the kegc by means of pressure applied against the recesses 7L in the wedgeplates e c or against the lugs or projections h', as shown in Fig. 5, when the wedge-plates e e will slide along the grooves cl3 (Z3 in the head-sections a a and can be removed from -the spaces d d' between the head-sections a a,

after which the head-sections a a can be lifted from engagement with the croze c' in the keg c, when the parts composing the head A can be used again, if desired.

In Fig. 5 we have shown our invention as applied to a large head of a barrel, cask, &c. having within the same the parts composing our improved head A, which can be placed within the large head in like manner as placed within the barrel c.

In Fig. 6 one of the head-sections ct a is shown as having double straight faces and the other is shown as having double tapered faces, with which wedge-plates having a tapered face only on one side are adapted to engage.

In Fig. 7 the bung-hole is placed off from the center of the head, so as to provide for a large and small wedge-plate in case it is desired to have the bung-hole and bung near the edge of the barrel for any purpose.

In Fig. S of lthe drawings our invention is shown as having one wedge-plate. In this case the bung-hole f is placed near the edge of the keg and the head-sections of the head only form one tapered space on one side of the bung-hole, having a straight face and a tapered face therein for the reception of a wedge-plate having a straight and a tapered face thereon. On the opposite side of the bung-hole the meeting edges of the head-sec tions are joined together by a tongt1e-and groove joint and are held in place by a brace i, rigidly secured to the head-sections, Which acts on a pivot to protect the edges of the bung-hole and hold the sections together when taken out, so that the head can be used again or as a lid. A handle or bail j extends across the space d and over the wedge-plate, which acts as a spring to draw the head-sections together for the purpose of removal when the Wedge-plate is removed.

In Fig. 9 the head is provided with one tapered space therein for the reception of one tapered wedge-plate therein, and the headsections are joined together on the opposite side of the bung-hole fromthe tapered space by means of a dowel-pin j', which acts as a pin for the head-sections. The bung-hole in this instance is formed near the edge of the keg, and the spring, handle, or bail j is secured on the head and extends over the tapered space therein to hold the sections t0- gether when taken out and allow it to be used as a lid, if desired. The handle or bailj also is used to lift the head out of engagement with the keg and is adapted to be pivoted so as to be folded down against the head.

In Figs. IO, l1, 12, and 13 our improved head is shown as applied to square, rectangular, octagonal, and oval heads, respectively, each having double Wedge-plates therein, and it will be seen that the bung-hole can be placed at any point in the head and the use of sin gle or double wedge-plates permitted, as desired, without departing from the invention.

Various modifications in the construction and design of the various parts of the head can be resorted to Without departing from the spirit of the `invention or sacrificing any of its advantages.

It will thus be seen that our improved head for barrels, casks, dac., is cheap and simple in its construction and operation and will not get out of order. It can be placed in position and removed at pleasure Without loosening the hoops or fastenings' of the barrel, keg, or cask and will not injure the walls of the opening in the barrel, keg, or cask in any manner. If fgr anyreason it is desired to expand the head to a greater extent than it was intended to occupy, the smaller end of the wedges may be cut olf and the wedges driven until the required expansion is obtained. Then a new bung-hole can be cut, which of course would be larger than the old one in order that it shall embrace the full width of the wedges in their new position. It will also be seen that in some cases by moving the wedge-'plates back into the bunghole the head will become smaller in diameter, so that it can be removed, and the wedgeplates will remain intact within the head.

Vhat We claim as our invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

IIO

ing formed on an are of a circle so that when the plate is driven home said are will meet the arcs eut in the head-sections and form with the same a circular Opening, and a bung driven in said opening.

2. In a barrel, Cask, dac., the combination with the head formed in sections having an Opening between them and having ares of eireles out therein, of Wedgeplates fitting Within said Opening and connected with the head sections by longitudinal tOngue-and-groove joints, the inner ends of said Wedgeplates being formed On ares of a Circle so that when the plates are driven home said ares Will meet ares out in the head-sections and form with 15 FRANK E. PELTON. JAMES RENWIOK LOVEb y Witnesses:

J. N. COOKE, `W. A. BLAKELE'Yi 

